Situation as of 28 June 2001 |
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The data in the table below has been compiled by the Inter-Parliamentary Union on the basis of information provided by National Parliaments by 28 June 2001. 178 countries are classified by descending order of the percentage of women in the lower or single House. Comparative data on the world and regional averages as well as data concerning the two regional parliamentary assemblies elected by direct suffrage can be found on separate pages. You can use the PARLINE database to view detailed results of parliamentary elections by country. |
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New: you can now consult an archive of statistical data on women in National Parliaments. |
Rank | Country | Lower or single House | Upper House or Senate | ||||||
Elections | Seats | Women | % W | Elections | Seats | Women | % W | ||
1 | Sweden | 09 1998 | 349 | 149 | 42.7 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
2 | Denmark | 03 1998 | 179 | 67 | 37.4 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
3 | Finland | 03 1999 | 200 | 73 | 36.5 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
4 | Norway | 09 1997 | 165 | 60 | 36.4 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
5 | Netherlands | 05 1998 | 150 | 54 | 36.0 | 05 1999 | 75 | 20 | 26.7 |
6 | Iceland | 05 1999 | 63 | 22 | 34.9 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
7 | Germany | 09 1998 | 669 | 207 | 30.9 | N.A. | 69 | 17 | 24.6 |
8 | New Zealand | 11 1999 | 120 | 37 | 30.8 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
9 | Mozambique | 12 1999 | 250 | 75 | 30.0 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
10 | South Africa | 06 1999 | 399 | 119 | 29.8 | 06 1999 | 54 | 17 | 31.5 |
11 | Spain | 03 2000 | 350 | 99 | 28.3 | 03 2000 | 259 | 63 | 24.3 |
12 | Cuba | 01 1998 | 601 | 166 | 27.6 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
13 | Austria | 10 1999 | 183 | 49 | 26.8 | N.A. | 64 | 13 | 20.3 |
14 | Grenada | 01 1999 | 15 | 4 | 26.7 | 01 1999 | 13 | 1 | 7.7 |
15 | Argentina | 10 1999 | 257 | 68 | 26.5 | 12 1998 | 72 | 2 | 2.8 |
16 | Turkmenistan | 12 1999 | 50 | 13 | 26.0 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
" | Viet Nam | 07 1997 | 450 | 117 | 26.0 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
17 | Rwanda | 11 1994 | 74 | 19 | 25.7 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
18 | Namibia | 11 1999 | 72 | 18 | 25.0 | 11 1998 | 26 | 2 | 7.7 |
19 | Seychelles | 03 1998 | 34 | 8 | 23.5 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
20 | Belgium | 06 1999 | 150 | 35 | 23.3 | 06 1999 | 71 | 20 | 28.2 |
21 | Australia | 10 1998 | 148 | 34 | 23.0 | 10 1998 | 76 | 22 | 28.9 |
" | Switzerland | 10 1999 | 200 | 46 | 23.0 | 10 1999 | 46 | 9 | 19.6 |
22 | United Rep. of Tanzania | 10 2000 | 274 | 61 | 22.3 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
23 | Monaco | 02 1998 | 18 | 4 | 22.2 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
24 | China | 1997-98 | 2984 | 650 | 21.8 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
25 | Lao People's Democratic Rep. | 12 1997 | 99 | 21 | 21.2 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
26 | Canada | 11 2000 | 301 | 62 | 20.6 | N.A. | 105 | 34 | 32.4 |
27 | Croatia | 01 2000 | 151 | 31 | 20.5 | 04 1997 | 65 | 4 | 6.2 |
28 | Dem. People's Rep. of Korea | 07 1998 | 687 | 138 | 20.1 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
29 | Costa Rica | 02 1998 | 57 | 11 | 19.3 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
30 | Dominica | 01 2000 | 32 | 6 | 18.8 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
31 | Portugal | 10 1999 | 230 | 43 | 18.7 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
32 | Guyana | 12 1997 | 65 | 12 | 18.5 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
33 | United Kingdom | 06 2001 | 659 | 118 | 17.9 | N.A. | 666 | 104 | 15.6 |
34 | Estonia | 03 1999 | 101 | 18 | 17.8 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
35 | Suriname | 05 2000 | 51 | 9 | 17.6 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
36 | Peru | 04 2001 | 120 | 21 | 17.5 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
37 | Botswana | 10 1999 | 47 | 8 | 17.0 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
" | Latvia | 10 1998 | 100 | 17 | 17.0 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
38 | Luxembourg | 06 1999 | 60 | 10 | 16.7 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
" | San Marino | 05 1998 | 60 | 10 | 16.7 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
" | Senegal | 04 2001 | 120 | 20 | 16.7 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
39 | Dominican Republic | 05 1998 | 149 | 24 | 16.1 | 05 1998 | 30 | 2 | 6.7 |
40 | Mexico | 07 2000 | 500 | 80 | 16.0 | 07 2000 | 128 | 20 | 15.6 |
41 | Angola | 09 1992 | 220 | 34 | 15.5 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
42 | Bahamas | 03 1997 | 40 | 6 | 15.0 | 03 1997 | 16 | 5 | 31.3 |
" | Czech Republic | 06 1998 | 200 | 30 | 15.0 | 11 2000 | 81 | 10 | 12.3 |
43 | Eritrea | 02 1994 | 150 | 22 | 14.7 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
44 | Ecuador | 05 1998 | 123 | 18 | 14.6 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
45 | Burundi | 06 1993 | 118 | 17 | 14.4 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
46 | Andorra | 03 2001 | 28 | 4 | 14.3 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
47 | Slovakia | 09 1998 | 150 | 21 | 14.0 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
47 | United States of America | 11 2000 | 435 | 61 | 14.0 | 11 2000 | 100 | 13 | 13.0 |
48 | Israel | 05 1999 | 120 | 16 | 13.3 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
48 | Jamaica | 12 1997 | 60 | 8 | 13.3 | 12 1997 | 21 | 5 | 23.8 |
48 | Saint Kitts and Nevis | 03 2000 | 15 | 2 | 13.3 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
49 | Poland | 09 1997 | 460 | 60 | 13.0 | 09 1997 | 100 | 11 | 11.0 |
50 | Republic of Moldova | 02 2001 | 101 | 13 | 12.9 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
51 | Tajikistan | 02 2000 | 63 | 8 | 12.7 | 03 2000 | 34 | 4 | 11.8 |
52 | Mali | 07 1997 | 147 | 18 | 12.2 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
" | Slovenia | 10 2000 | 90 | 11 | 12.2 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
53 | Uruguay | 10 1999 | 99 | 12 | 12.1 | 10 1999 | 31 | 3 | 9.7 |
54 | Congo | 01 1998 | 75 | 9 | 12.0 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
" | Ireland | 06 1997 | 166 | 20 | 12.0 | 08 1997 | 60 | 11 | 18.3 |
55 | Colombia | 03 1998 | 161 | 19 | 11.8 | 03 1998 | 102 | 13 | 12.7 |
56 | Bolivia | 06 1997 | 130 | 15 | 11.5 | 06 1997 | 27 | 1 | 3.7 |
" | Tunisia | 10 1999 | 182 | 21 | 11.5 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
57 | Cape Verde | 01 2001 | 72 | 8 | 11.1 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
" | Saint Lucia | 05 1997 | 18 | 2 | 11.1 | 05 1997 | 11 | 2 | 18.2 |
" | Trinidad and Tobago | 12 2000 | 36 | 4 | 11.1 | 11 1995 | 31 | 10 | 32.3 |
58 | France | 05 1997 | 577 | 63 | 10.9 | 09 1998 | 321 | 19 | 5.9 |
59 | Chile | 12 1997 | 120 | 13 | 10.8 | 12 1997 | 48 | 2 | 4.2 |
60 | Barbados | 01 1999 | 28 | 3 | 10.7 | 01 1999 | 21 | 7 | 33.3 |
" | Cyprus | 05 2001 | 56 | 6 | 10.7 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
" | Romania | 11 2000 | 345 | 37 | 10.7 | 11 2000 | 140 | 11 | 7.9 |
61 | Lithuania | 10 2000 | 141 | 15 | 10.6 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
62 | Azerbaijan | 11 2000 | 124 | 13 | 10.5 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
" | Mongolia | 07 2000 | 76 | 8 | 10.5 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
63 | Kazakhstan | 10 1999 | 77 | 8 | 10.4 | 09 1999 | 39 | 5 | 12.8 |
" | Malaysia | 11 1999 | 193 | 20 | 10.4 | 03 1998 | 69 | 18 | 26.1 |
" | Syrian Arab Republic | 11 1998 | 250 | 26 | 10.4 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
64 | Belarus | 10 2000 | 97 | 10 | 10.3 | 12 2000 | 61 | 19 | 31.1 |
65 | Zambia | 11 1996 | 158 | 16 | 10.1 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
66 | Kyrgyzstan | 02 2000 | 60 | 6 | 10.0 | 02 2000 | 45 | 1 | 2.2 |
" | Zimbabwe | 06 2000 | 150 | 15 | 10.0 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
67 | Panama | 05 1999 | 71 | 7 | 9.9 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
68 | Italy | 05 2001 | 630 | 62 | 9.8 | 05 2001 | 326 | 25 | 7.7 |
69 | Nicaragua | 10 1996 | 93 | 9 | 9.7 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
" | Sudan | 12 2000 | 360 | 35 | 9.7 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
" | Venezuela | 07 2000 | 165 | 16 | 9.7 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
70 | El Salvador | 03 2000 | 84 | 8 | 9.5 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
71 | Honduras | 11 1997 | 128 | 12 | 9.4 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
72 | Bhutan | N.A. | 150 | 14 | 9.3 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
" | Malawi | 06 1999 | 193 | 18 | 9.3 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
73 | Gabon | 12 1996 | 120 | 11 | 9.2 | 01 1997 | 91 | 12 | 13.2 |
" | Malta | 09 1998 | 65 | 6 | 9.2 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
" | Thailand | 01 2001 | 500 | 46 | 9.2 | 03 2000 | 200 | 21 | 10.5 |
74 | Bangladesh | 06 1996 | 330 | 30 | 9.1 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
" | Sao Tome and Principe | 11 1998 | 55 | 5 | 9.1 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
75 | Ghana | 12 2000 | 200 | 18 | 9.0 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
76 | Guatemala | 11 1999 | 113 | 10 | 8.8 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
" | Guinea | 06 1995 | 114 | 10 | 8.8 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
" | India | 09 1999 | 543 | 48 | 8.8 | 03 2000 | 220 | ? | ? |
" | Sierra Leone | 02 1996 | 80 | 7 | 8.8 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
77 | Greece | 04 2000 | 300 | 26 | 8.7 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
78 | Cote d'Ivoire | 12 2000 | 223 | 19 | 8.5 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
79 | Hungary | 05 1998 | 386 | 32 | 8.3 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
80 | Burkina Faso | 05 1997 | 111 | 9 | 8.1 | 12 1995 | 162 | 21 | 13.0 |
81 | Indonesia | 06 1999 | 500 | 40 | 8.0 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
" | Madagascar | 05 1998 | 150 | 12 | 8.0 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
82 | Guinea-Bissau | 11 1999 | 102 | 8 | 7.8 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
" | Liberia | 07 1997 | 64 | 5 | 7.8 | 07 1997 | 26 | 5 | 19.2 |
" | Ukraine | 03 1998 | 450 | 35 | 7.8 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
83 | Ethiopia | 05 2000 | 547 | 42 | 7.7 | 05 2000 | 120 | 10 | 8.3 |
84 | Iraq | 03 2000 | 250 | 19 | 7.6 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
" | Russian Federation | 12 1999 | 449 | 34 | 7.6 | N.A. | 178 | 1 | 0.6 |
85 | Cambodia | 07 1998 | 122 | 9 | 7.4 | 03 1999 | 61 | 8 | 13.1 |
86 | Central African Republic | 11 1998 | 109 | 8 | 7.3 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
" | Japan | 06 2000 | 480 | 35 | 7.3 | 07 1998 | 242 | 43 | 17.8 |
87 | Georgia | 10 1999 | 235 | 17 | 7.2 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
" | Uzbekistan | 12 1999 | 250 | 18 | 7.2 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
" | Yugoslavia | 09 2000 | 138 | 10 | 7.2 | 09 2000 | 40 | 1 | 2.5 |
88 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 11 2000 | 42 | 3 | 7.1 | 11 2000 | 15 | 0 | 0.0 |
89 | Belize | 08 1998 | 29 | 2 | 6.9 | 08 1998 | 8 | 3 | 37.5 |
90 | The F.Y.R. of Macedonia | 10 1998 | 120 | 8 | 6.7 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
91 | Singapore | 01 1997 | 93 | 6 | 6.5 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
92 | Samoa | 03 2001 | 49 | 3 | 6.1 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
93 | Benin | 03 1999 | 83 | 5 | 6.0 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
" | Maldives | 11 1999 | 50 | 3 | 6.0 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
94 | Nepal | 05 1999 | 205 | 12 | 5.9 | 06 1999 | 60 | 9 | 15.0 |
" | Republic of Korea | 04 2000 | 273 | 16 | 5.9 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
95 | Brazil | 10 1998 | 513 | 29 | 5.7 | 10 1998 | 81 | 6 | 7.4 |
" | Mauritius | 09 2000 | 70 | 4 | 5.7 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
96 | Cameroon | 05 1997 | 180 | 10 | 5.6 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
97 | Antigua and Barbuda | 03 1999 | 19 | 1 | 5.3 | 03 1999 | 17 | 2 | 11.8 |
98 | Equatorial Guinea | 03 1999 | 80 | 4 | 5.0 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
99 | Togo | 03 1999 | 81 | 4 | 4.9 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
100 | Kiribati | 09 1998 | 42 | 2 | 4.8 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
101 | Turkey | 04 1999 | 550 | 23 | 4.2 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
102 | Sri Lanka | 10 2000 | 225 | 9 | 4.0 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
103 | Lesotho | 05 1998 | 79 | 3 | 3.8 | 05 1998 | 33 | 9 | 27.3 |
" | Mauritania | 10 1996 | 79 | 3 | 3.8 | 04 2000 | 56 | 1 | 1.8 |
104 | Kenya | 12 1997 | 224 | 8 | 3.6 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
105 | Algeria | 06 1997 | 380 | 13 | 3.4 | 12 1997 | 144 | 8 | 5.6 |
" | Iran (Islamic Rep. of) | 02 2000 | 290 | 10 | 3.4 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
" | Nigeria | 02 1999 | 351 | 12 | 3.4 | 02 1999 | 108 | 3 | 2.8 |
106 | Armenia | 05 1999 | 131 | 4 | 3.1 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
" | Swaziland | 10 1998 | 65 | 2 | 3.1 | 10 1998 | 30 | 4 | 13.3 |
107 | Marshall Islands | 11 1999 | 33 | 1 | 3.0 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
108 | Paraguay | 05 1998 | 80 | 2 | 2.5 | 05 1998 | 45 | 8 | 17.8 |
109 | Chad | 01 1997 | 125 | 3 | 2.4 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
" | Egypt | 11 2000 | 454 | 11 | 2.4 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
110 | Lebanon | 08 2000 | 128 | 3 | 2.3 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
111 | Gambia | 01 1997 | 49 | 1 | 2.0 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
" | Solomon Islands | 08 1997 | 49 | 1 | 2.0 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
112 | Papua New Guinea | 06 1997 | 109 | 2 | 1.8 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
113 | Jordan | 11 1997 | 80 | 1 | 1.3 | 11 1997 | 40 | 3 | 7.5 |
114 | Niger | 11 1999 | 83 | 1 | 1.2 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
115 | Yemen | 04 1997 | 299 | 2 | 0.7 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
116 | Morocco | 11 1997 | 325 | 2 | 0.6 | 12 1997 | 270 | 2 | 0.7 |
117 | Djibouti | 12 1997 | 65 | 0 | 0.0 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
" | Kuwait | 07 1999 | 65 | 0 | 0.0 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
" | Micronesia (Fed. States of) | 03 1999 | 14 | 0 | 0.0 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
" | Nauru | 04 2000 | 18 | 0 | 0.0 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
" | Palau | 11 2000 | 16 | 0 | 0.0 | 11 2000 | 9 | 0 | 0.0 |
" | Tonga | 03 1999 | 30 | 0 | 0.0 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
" | Tuvalu | 03 1998 | 15 | 0 | 0.0 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
" | United Arab Emirates | 12 1997 | 40 | 0 | 0.0 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
" | Vanuatu | 03 1998 | 52 | 0 | 0.0 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
? | Albania | 06 2001 | 155 | ? | ? | --- | --- | --- | --- |
? | Bulgaria | 06 2001 | 240 | ? | ? | --- | --- | --- | --- |
? | Haiti | 05 2000 | 82 | ? | ? | 05 2000 | 19 | ? | ? |
? | Libyan Arab Jamahiriya | 03 1997 | 760 | ? | ? | --- | --- | --- | --- |
? | Liechtenstein | 02 2001 | 25 | ? | ? | --- | --- | --- | --- |
? | Philippines | 05 2001 | 222 | ? | ? | 05 2001 | 23 | ? | ? |
? | Saint Vincent & the Grenadines | 03 2001 | 21 | ? | ? | --- | --- | --- | --- |
? | Uganda | 06 2001 | 281 | ? | ? | --- | --- | --- | --- |
* South Africa: the figures on the distribution of seats do not include the 36 special rotating delegates appointed on an ad hoc basis, and the percentages given are therefore calculated on the basis of the 54 permanent seats |
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